


walk through fire for you

by carefulren



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Fire, Hurt, Hurt TK, Injury, M/M, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Tumblr Prompt, Whump, Whumpfic, dumb (?) carlos lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:00:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22889611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carefulren/pseuds/carefulren
Summary: TK falls through the floor of a burning house while on a call, and Carlos takes the whole "saving him" matter into his own hands.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Comments: 15
Kudos: 199





	walk through fire for you

Carlos will never understand how Owen can keep a calm composure when he sends TK running headfirst into danger day in and day out. He knows the 126 is working under cautious orders to ensure everyone’s safety, but he can never shake the pit of anxiety that builds in his stomach each time he watches TK’s back as the latter rushes into his job. 

Today’s no different, a one-story house fire that he and the 126 have been called to. The house is practically engulfed in flames by the time every one arrives, bright reds and oranges dancing around smoke that’s pouring from shattered windows. Owen barks orders the second the truck comes to a stop, and Carlos is able to steal a quick kiss to TK’s lips, a small peck that TK smiles against, before TK pulls away and shoves his helmet over his head. 

“How do you do it?” Carlos asks Owen when TK and Paul start into the house, with Marjan and Probie ready at the hose. 

“Do what?” 

“Send him,” Carlos mutters, nodding to TK right before he disappears against the smoke. 

“TK’s good at his job.” Owen’s answer comes with practiced ease, and Carlos wants to cling to that confidence. He knows TK’s a good firefighter, but they’ve been growing closer, spending five out of seven nights a week together, and though neither’s said it out loud, they are toeing the line to boyfriend territory. He’s not pushing it, choosing instead to move with TK’s movements, play his game, ride his ride until he’s ready to take the next step. 

_“We’ve got the girl, Cap.”_

He perks up when he hears Paul’s voice over the comms, and just moments later, Paul’s stepping out of the house with a young girl clinging tightly to him. He expects to see TK right behind him, but he doesn’t, and he leans forward, arms crossed, fingers digging into his arms, and then he hears a loud crash over the comms. 

“TK?” Owen’s got his comm to his mouth, and he’s tense beside Carlos, and Carlos spares a single moment to see Marjan, Judd, Probie, and Paul all sharing glances from Owen to the house, struggling to wait for their next orders. 

“TK, do you copy?” 

Carlos can’t breathe, his lungs unwilling to take in air, and then he hears harsh coughing and groaning over the comms, and his muscles tighten, going almost rigid, as he puffs out a small breath of air. 

_“Yeah, floor collapsed. Think I’m in the basement.”_

Owen’s face is unreadable as he processes each work punctuated by a cough. “Are you hurt?” There’s rustling on the comms, a few more groans, and then a low sigh. 

_“Yeah, my foot.”_ There’s a pause, another, longer sigh. _“And my head. I’m a little dizzy.”_

“Concussion,” Michelle says, and Carlos jumps, not having heard her come up to them. “You need to get him out of there now.” 

“Already on it,” Owen says, and Carlos’ ears fade to a low ringing that mixes with a rapid heartbeat, and then his feet are moving toward the house, toward the narrow opening of the front door that’s not completely engulfed in flames. 

“Carlos, what are you doing?”

“Carlos, stop!” 

The continuous shouts fade against the roar of the fire, and he holds one arm up above his eyes and tries to only suck in small, short breaths that aren’t too deep. “TK!” Smoke begins to pour down his throat, and he coughs lightly as he approaches a hole in the floor. He looks down to see TK lying on his back. 

“TK!”

“Carlos? What the hell are you doing? Get out of here!” Carlos is the last person TK expects to see above him, back lit by dangerous orange flames, and he makes to sit up, pain grinding in his head, black dots dancing across his vision. He grits his teeth, swallows back nausea, and starts to slowly get to his feet. 

“No, TK, don’t! I’ll come to you!”

“Like hell you will,” TK grumbles under his breath, angry, worried, confused, and he tests the pressure on his feet. His right foot is fine, but his left foot twisted when he fell, and it stings the second he leans on it. He looks up to yell at Carlos again, to order him to leave, to let his team handle this, but there’s a loud explosion above them, and Carlos has to dart to the side when more of the floor caves in, burning, charred pieces of wood just narrowly missing TK. 

“Shit,” TK mutters. They’re running out of time. He can hear orders being made over the comms, but until his dad is properly geared up to come in… It could still be at least a minute, and he’s not sure they have that time. There’s an old table to the right of him, and he drags it over, stumbling, blinking past the grayness creeping at the edge of his vision, and he climbs atop it, coughing until he’s gagging. “Can you pull me up?” 

Nodding, Carlos drops to the floor. His eyes are burning just as bad as his lungs from the smoke, but TK’s so clear in his vision, so clear and alive, and he reaches down, both arms outstretched, and TK’s fingers curl around them, and he pulls, muscles trembling, fueled solely on adrenaline, and he manages to get TK up enough to where TK can grab onto the ledge, and between the two, TK’s back on the first story only seconds later, curled to his side, panting, coughing, and Carlos is urging him up to his feet. 

“Let’s go.”

TK crumples as soon as he’s upright, and Carlos catches him. “Woah, TK!” He scoops him up into his arms, turning to cough away from TK as he starts back out of the house. TK’s barely lucid in his arms as soon as he moves out of the front door to meet the 126 and the EMTs, and Michelle and Owen break past first, with Michelle gesturing for the gurney as Carlos carries him safely away from the fire. 

“Start hosing!” Owen shouts, and Paul, Judd, Marjan, and Probie hesitate, all eyes glued to TK’s almost whimpering form in Carlos’ arms, but they finally oblige, working together to tackle the fire as Carlos carefully sets TK on the gurney. 

“Are you riding with us, Captain?” 

Owen’s eyes are glued to TK, his hand gripping TK’s like a lifeline, but he shakes his head, shoulders sagging. “I can’t leave my team.” He’s reluctant to drag his gaze away, but he does, moving to Carlos’ eyes. “Go with them. I’ll meet you there.” 

Carlos fades in and out of focus, moving with Michelle when she wheels TK to the back of the ambulance, only catching snippets of med talk, about TK’s foot, his head, smoke inhalation concerns, and then he’s seated on the bench in the back of the ambulance, and another paramedic is slipping a breathing mask over his mouth and working through a small examination. 

*****

It’s hours until TK’s released on crutches and with strict instructions to not sleep for more than three hours at a time, and Carlos volunteers to drive him home after Marjan, Paul, and Probie head home for the night. Owen only agrees so he can pick up his prescription at a twenty-four hour pharmacy and get TK’s room settled for him. Carlos is a little unnerved at TK’s silence as he helps the latter into the passenger seat of his police SUV, but he doesn’t push, too unsure on how to approach TK in such a passive state.

“You shouldn’t have done that.” TK mutters, breaking the silence after endless minutes of quiet that’s sharp enough to break skin. His head is dropped against the window, too tired to hold it up, and he closes his eyes, the trees whipping by making him nauseous. 

Carlos knows what, but he feigns ignorance anyway. “Done what?” 

“Go in after me. That’s not your job.” TK coughs lightly, lungs still a little strained from smoke inhalation, and he groans when the coughing brings pain to his head. “You’re a cop, Carlos.” 

Carlos grips his steering wheel until his knuckles go white, and he pulls off onto the side of the road, flipping his hazards on and leaning his head back with a sigh. “I know I’m a cop, but you can’t tell me that wasn’t my job.” 

TK opens his eyes at this, a frown pulling at his lips, and he turns to Carlos, brows furrowed. “What the hell does that mean?” 

“It means that protecting you is my job, Tyler.” Carlos finally pulls a sharp gaze to meet TK’s tired eyes, and TK’s mouth opens and closes, stunned surprise pulling at his face, widening his eyes and catching his words in his throat. 

“That’s not… You could have died, Carlos!” The cogs in TK’s head begin turning, and once they start, they don’t slow despite the pain it brings. “You didn’t have any gear! My team would have–”

“–I know your team would have saved you, TK,” Carlos sighs, eyes moving from TK to the dark road ahead of them. “I don’t know what happened. As soon as I heard you were hurt, I just moved.” 

TK’s hand finds his thigh, and though Carlos doesn’t pull his eyes from the windshield, he moves his hand to cup TK’s, thumb ghosting over TK’s smooth skin. “I know what I did was stupid, but I’m not sorry I did it. I’d risk my life a thousand times over if it means saving someone I love.” 

TK’s mind short-circuits, a wire snapping out of place, a cog jerking to a stop, leading toward a possible explosion that he’s forced to breathe sharply through because they haven’t said this. They haven’t talked about this, only just barely treading into this type of territory, yet it doesn’t feel wrong, the opposite actually. 

“You love me.” It’s not a question, but Carlos nods anyway, and TK wants to chase this, but his head is beginning to throb enough to have his stomach churn, and his phone’s vibrating in his other hand, multiple messages from his father, from his team, and he leans back to face the front, head tipping against the headrest behind him. 

“We should go. My dad’s worried.” 

Carlos’ face falls, his shoulders sink, but he nods anyway and carefully maneuvers the car back onto the road, and the rest of the drive is silent, with only small coughs occasionally filling the quiet between the two. In a moment, Carlos wishes he could know what TK’s thinking, just for a second, just a glimpse behind his wall, but then he’s pulling into TK’s driveway, and Owen’s already standing in the open doorway waiting. 

“Thanks,” TK mutters, massaging his temples, yet he doesn’t reach for the door handle right away, instead twisting in his seat to lean toward Carlos, lips brushing against Carlos’ cheek. “Oh, and I think I love you, too.” 

The smile’s devilish yet shy, and Carlos’ cheeks flare hot in a blush as TK opens the door, offering a wave before he closes it and starts toward his father. Carlos watches, more-so because he can’t move, but then Owen’s waving at him before guiding TK into the house with an arm around his shoulders, and he waits a few moments, eyes glued to the closed door, TK’s words playing a beautiful melody in his head, before he finally puts his car in reverse and starts back to his apartment.

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from "Adore You" by Harry Styles :) 
> 
> Come say hi or drop a prompt off on tumblr! @toosicktoocare


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